Oligui Nguéma arrives in Cameroon this Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The information is not yet official in Cameroon. The Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic which generally makes the announcement. But the Gabonese embassy in Cameroon has already issued a press release inviting Gabonese nationals in Yaoundé to organize themselves to give a warm and popular welcome to its new guide. Also, on the axis which leads to the Presidency of the Republic, from the Yaoundé-Nsimalen international airport, initially scheduled demonstrations have been postponed, on the grounds of “ the visit of the president of the Gabonese Transition “, we learned from informal sources. A tête-à-tête on the agenda of the audience that the tenant of the Unity Palace will grant to his visitor.
It is clear that the signs show the imminent arrival of Brice Oligui Nguéma in Yaoundé. A long-awaited visit, as the president of the Gabonese Transition has embarked on a sub-regional tour, which has already taken him to the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, DR Congo, Chad and Congo. Yaoundé remains an important destination in the sub-region. Paul Biya being the dean of heads of state, but also, a voice that counts and whose absence is often speaking. We remember that Michel Djotodia who, after his coup d’état against François Bozize, had been dubbed by all the heads of state of Central Africa, had ended up capitulating. The leader of Anti-Balaka had not been welcomed into the circle by Paul Biya.
This shows if the arrival of Oligui Nguéma is an anointing that Biya gives (finally) to the new strong man of Libreville. He who was known to be “protector” of Ali Bongo, son of the former Gabonese Head of State Omar Bongo. The man who came to power in a context marked by an inheritance crisis in which France Nicolas Sarkhozi was accused by the Gabonese opposition of having played her part for the installation at the Seaside Palace of her father’s son, once an unconditional ally of the former colonial power. In this troubled context where Jean Ping claimed his victory, Ali Bongo made a lightning visit to Yaoundé, even before taking the oath. Paul Biya therefore certainly admitted the coup d’état which ousted Ali Bongo from power on August 30, 2023.
However, some sources indicate that the former boss of the Gabonese Presidential Guard, who never leaves his fatigues, will not meet Paul Biya in his privileged attire. A requirement from Yaoundé to which the applicant could not fail to comply.
